Curse of Raven Fire
by Icemera
Summary: Strange occurrences began to trouble Arendelle, and Elsa mysteriously lost her ice powers. When she was forced to abdicate, she embarked on a journey to get her powers back. (93.6481% Elsanna) (Disney's) (Icest)
1. Chapter 1

**Curse of Raven Fire**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

* * *

The magical ice-skating rink seemed to have earned a permanent place in the bailey of the castle. It had stayed for a year now as the crowd had demanded.

For a busy queen like young Elizabeth IV, whose Royal Study was flooded with state papers, who held daily meetings concerning domestic and foreign affairs, who had very little private time to herself as politicians, Generals, and many influential traders constantly flocked around her, _life_ was much simpler than how it looked. What had kept the queen most vigilant was to wake up every morning to find if the skating rink was still there. The children's laughter was her best assurance that the queen of ice was still welcomed in this land of Arendelle—that she still belonged.

"Nhmmm…"

Sitting by the windowsill of her bedroom, Elsa was in a jaded-pink, crumpled nightgown. Her blonde hair was a little messy, silky tresses flowing freely around her slim shoulders. She looked through the glass panes and smiled at the sight of the rink below. In this peaceful time of her life, she had learned to embrace her supernatural ability. For the first time, she knew how to smile without having to think twice. Her smile was especially poignant when she was in her own private chamber, behind these familiar walls, which had locked her up in solitude for years.

"Urgh, close the curtains… please…"

Elsa looked over her shoulder and chuckled at her sister's flipping form on the bed. A pillow over her head, Anna was groaning at the rays of light piercing through the windows. Elsa couldn't seem to hold back the big smile on her face. It was a sight she just couldn't get enough of. Although she had allowed Anna to spend more time with her ever since the end of Eternal Winter, sharing baths and beds, she still felt the tingling feeling every time Anna was near. It felt so foreign—almost surreal. It was the warmth from another person, which she had always yearned for. For the first time in long years, she dared to touch something—someone. It was impressive even more so when it was her sister to generate her the warmth much needed.

"It's seven in the morning," Elsa said.

Anna kicked at the blanket a bit, burying her face deep into the pool of pillows. "You make it sound like noon," the redhead grumbled.

Elsa had requested seven more pillows ever since Anna had joined her during the night. She must admit that she hesitated at first, but her sister wasn't taking 'no' for an answer. The incessant knocking on her door was driving the queen nuts, as if it hadn't for the past decade or so, but for a different reason entirely. Whenever Anna used their thirteen-year lack of contact excuse, Elsa just wouldn't know how to counter. She could only let Anna have her ways—strange, but adorable ways, of course. She did wonder why her bed was warmed every night with Anna's presence as they were not children anymore. Whatever Anna did with her boyfriend, Kristoff, during the day, wasn't something Elsa would like to ponder about.

Elsa chortled, leaning against the cool, window glass. She just loved the warmth from the sun and the coolness of the glass against her skin. She wanted it. All of it. "A queen should rise early," she said, gazing at the prone form.

Anna kicked harder at the blanket, delivering muffled words. "That's your job, Elsa… nnnhmmm, I'm hungry…" Her hair as tousled as a bird nest, her head popped up among the pool of fluffy pillows. "Could you please get me some breakfast, please?" she asked with a sleepy grin.

Shaking her head, Elsa pushed herself off the windowsill and strode towards the door. "Breakfast is coming right up."

Anna raised her shoulders and watched her sister moving across the room with wide, green eyes. "Two," she whispered, muffling her voice with the nearest pillow.

Elsa sighed. "Two eggs. I know."

"Three?"

"_Ah-nah_."

"Oookay."

* * *

"Oh!" Anna exclaimed as she looked at the arrow stuck in the bullseye. With several other arrows plunged near the center, months of training had finally paid off. Her green eyes were wide with excitement. "I did it, Elsa! I did it! Look!" In her blue dress, she jumped around, waving the bow in triumph. The vast, beautiful garden by the lake was her favorite place to practice archery, and Anna found sports to be more suitable to her than books, laws and politics.

Under the roof of the pavilion, Elsa was occupying the stony table, surrounded by stacks of papers. High mountains and the vast lake behind her replaced the tall shelves of thick, old books as the backdrop of her workplace today. Focusing on the papers, she had her hair tied back into a loose braid, strands of hair falling to her face. She wore little makeup on an easy weekend like this. Dressed in her velvety, black gown, the queenly uniform she had grown accustomed to, she eventually looked up at her sister, smiling at the result displayed before her. "Well done, Anna! I knew you could do it."

"Yeah, I'm great, I know. Haha!" Giggly, Anna walked up to the pavilion.

A glass of cool drink was served as the princess gracelessly sank down on the bench next to her sister. The maid, then, retrieved the bow away.

After taking a big gulp of water, Anna let out a big sigh, grinning. "Oh, it's such a nice day out. We should do this more often! The Royal Study is ooooh-soooo-boring. I don't understand how you like to be in that dark room with books and more books, and very little sunlight. It always gives me the creeps." But her smile quickly disappeared when she glanced at her sister, who seemed to be preoccupied with work again.

"Hmm… Right… You're right…" Elsa muttered, her gaze scanning down the page in her hand.

Elsa was normally pale, but working seven days a week for the past year was making it worse. Even sitting by the lake now, the queen still ignored any outdoor activities or the beautiful sceneries. Her pale skin had lost the pinkish tint on the cheeks, the look unhealthy even by an ice queen's standard.

It was close to a miracle that Anna succeeded in taking Elsa out to the lake today. The feat required Kai, one of their father's closest advisers, to bring all the necessary papers with them. Kai had been the one who took charge of state matters during the three years between their parents' death and Elsa's coronation. He was in his late sixties, tall, and weighty. He sported short, reddish hair, balding for the most part of the middle of his head. A humble man he was, he was like a relative to the queen and the princess when they had no one else.

"You look pale. It's Saturday, Elsa. I think you should take a break." Anna frowned in worry. In fact, she hadn't just noticed it now, but Elsa had appeared exhausted for the past few months or so. To be exact, her sister looked troubled ever since the wildfire in the south two months ago. The wildfire lasted for two days despite the help from Elsa's supernatural powers. Something unusual happened, but Elsa was unwilling to discuss it with anyone.

Elsa took her attention from the work for a moment and touched her cheek. She, then, lightly chuckled at the notion. "I'm always pale."

Anna looked down at the table, playing with the glass of water in her hands. "Maybe you need to be in the sun a bit more. It's good for your health."

"I don't fall ill, Anna," Elsa hummed almost to herself, while penning down notes on the paper once more.

"Okay," Anna mumbled, looking away. She eyed her victorious arrow on the bullseye. Maybe she should get back to the yard, clearing her mind off things. Maybe she was just thinking too much.

However, Elsa stopped and looked up at her sister. Her slightly widened eyes would have gone unnoticed by most people, but not Anna. Those deep, blue eyes always hid something—an unspoken promise—a dark secret sunk deep beneath the surface of the ocean, and Anna always found it hard to look away. Now that Elsa was staring right into her eyes, Anna was at a loss for words. Perhaps, it was her own gloomy tone that had gotten the queen's attention. Perhaps, it was one of the millions things Anna never quite figured them out. It was just like that 'Hi' in the balls on the coronation day. It came out of nowhere, and it disappeared as fast as a blink of an eye.

"Thank you… for caring about me. Thanks, Anna." The words came stoic, but the tone was soft. It was as though Elsa was trying to embrace the brighter side of the world. Years behind those walls certainly had left some psychological impacts on the queen, but Anna was willing to wait for her sister to fully step out into sun no matter how long it might take.

Anna looked down, heat flushing on her cheeks. She never quite understood why she got nervous every time Elsa gave her even the tiniest of attention. But, this time it was a little more than just an acknowledgement. It was as if Elsa actually pondered how cold and distant she had been, and was now trying to amend it. "Nn—no problem. I'm yours—uhh—We—we're family—leey—"

Elsa cut her sister off with a rare grin. "You look adorable whenever you blush. Lunch must be ready. Are you hungry?" She put down the quill, and stretched a bit.

As soon as the queen voiced it out, the maids brought up the trays to the pavilion. Anna's eyes widened as she looked at the hot bowls of soup, large plates of salads and steaks. She sniffed at the food, and then faked a pout at her sister. "You're going to get me fat with all the food."

Her brows raised, Elsa picked up a fork and began to eat some salad. "No one is forcing you to eat all of it. Self-control is precious… Hmm. This is good." Elsa carefully wiped her lower lip with the tip of her index finger.

_Self-control._ The word slipped so easily through Elsa's lips, but it didn't flow well with Anna. The redhead flopped down along the stony bench, resting her head on Elsa's lap. As if on cue, Elsa's fingers snaked through her bangs, leisurely playing with the silky curls. Anna coiled in content at the touch, which had grown familiar during the past year. Elsa were so kind to her when they were children, but the thirteen-year gap between them had destroyed all the warmth they used to feel. Now Anna feared of ever losing this warm sensation again.

Anna softly sighed. Suddenly, her appetite was lost. Perhaps, it was the heat, or the exhaustion after the exertion. She rested comfortably while Elsa continued to enjoy the food. "What did they tell you? What did they make you do?" She whispered those taboo questions, knowing how uncomfortable Elsa had been with them.

Elsa paused for a moment before looking down at her sister. "Father and mother loved you very much, Anna. They did everything for you," she explained quietly.

"But they wouldn't let you out of the room. They closed the gates. They locked us up—"

"They were trying to protect you and everyone else from me."

Unknown anger rose to her chest, and Anna's face screwed up in protest. "Protecting me by letting me grow up alone in the empty hallways? By erasing some parts of my memories—my memories with you? By never explaining anything to me?"

Elsa lowered her hand and put the spoon down. "I… I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you."

Anna curled up into a ball and clutched the fabric of her sister's dress. "I'm not blaming you. You were locked away in that room for years. How horrible it must be."

Elsa had stopped eating by now, and stared out at the lake. However, Anna was sure that her sister wasn't actually admiring, or even seeing, the view. Her full lips compressed, her gaze distant. "They would have opened the gates if I had learned to control my powers, so all faults lied with me. I failed them… I failed you. I couldn't hold back." Elsa briefly glanced down at Anna before looking away again. "I almost killed you twice. Father wasn't wrong to keep me away."

Anna felt hot blood rushing to her head, glowering up at her sister. "But, still, I can't believe that they made you live like that for years. By hiding the truth, they ruined your life. Mine!"

"You shouldn't talk about them this way. They loved you dearly." Her voice low, Elsa spoke through her gritted teeth.

Anna stared up into her sister's eyes, whispering. "Didn't they love you, too?"

The queen paused for a long moment, her facial expression blank. But, Anna knew that Elsa had heard her every word. "Get up."

Rolling her eyes, Anna bit back a sigh. She sat up on the bench, adjusting her dress, while Elsa shot up to her feet and stormed out of the pavilion.

"Gather everything. We're heading back to the castle," Elsa ordered the maids, striding off into the yard without waiting for her sister.

The maids bowed.

"Your… Your Majesty!" A voice called out from the distance. "Your Majesty!"

Elsa halted in her tracks. She turned to see Kai approaching in haste. The big man came to a stop in front of the queen, and bowed. "What is it?" Elsa's tone was calm, but Anna could hear the hint of distraught in her sister's voice.

"There… there's fire by Espen Dam, Your Majesty. Now, parts… of the wall have… have collapsed, and the water is flooding down the towns and farms below," Kai reported. He was panting from the run, his face reddened.

Elsa remained expressionless as she listened. After a moment of contemplation, she glanced at Anna, briefly meeting with the green gaze. "Take her back to the castle," Elsa ordered, and then spun on her heels, "Kai, you come with me."

_What?_ Anna blinked a few times as she watched the queen striding away with her adviser. "N—no. No. No. _No_. I'm going with you, Elsa—What—w—wait—wait!" But, she was quickly escorted away by the maids.

* * *

Seated inside the white carriage, Anna had crossed her slender arms across her chest, grumbling to herself. They were taking her back to the castle, hurried and anxious, but she was worried for Elsa even more.

"_Great_." Letting out an annoyed sigh, she sank back into the comfortable, leather seat. There had been quite a few incidents lately, and Elsa had grown restless about them. Even if no one had noticed it, Anna could see it in her sister's eyes. What was it? The fact that Elsa was still hesitant to confide in her about it only aggravated her more. She could only wish to ease whatever troubles in her sister's mind. Whatever it might take.

Anna turned her face to the right and gazed out through the gap between the green-colored curtains. The carriage was riding fast along the serpentine path through the forest. Rays of light pierced down through the thick leaves of tall trees. Thick clouds hang low in the graying sky, while the scent of damp soil began to surround them. A storm was coming. A summer storm.

* * *

It took nearly six hours to reach the dam near the northern borders. The sun was already setting, and the pinkish shades had ruthlessly invaded the darkening sky. The wind was cold even on a summer evening like this.

A mile of stony walls had collapsed, water flooding fiercely through the opening. The officials had been trying since morning to dump large sandbags and rocks to block or slow down the overflow. It would have taken at least two weeks to repair the dam, or days just to stop the flood. The farms would be beyond saving by then.

Walking along the narrow passageway atop the wall of Espen, Elsa came to stop a few feet from the edge of the crack. She noted the damages. It appeared as though the wall was destroyed by a powerful force of a huge rock falling from the sky. What could have caused it? But, what got her attention the most was the tars on the wall and rocks nearby. Where did they come from?

"When did it happen?" Elsa whispered.

"Early morning, Your Majesty. No one knew exactly how it happened. It looked like a giant's fist had worked its wrath upon the wall," Kai answered, whispering as not to let the crowd hear him.

Holding back her breath, Elsa gazed into the vast fields of green below; she could totally imagine how terrified the farmers and villagers must have been. With a calm raise of her hand, a thick row of ice was built out of thin air. It worked like magic. The ice ran along the path, acting as a substituted wall, effectively stopping the overflow. The crowd behind her cheered with thunderous applause. She, then, stepped upon the icy path, making sure it was strong enough and that it had extended to the other end of the crack. She inwardly sighed at the solidity beneath her feet. It seemed hopeful now, but the damages done in the villages would be another matter she had to settle soon. Perhaps, tomorrow would be better as she felt her energy draining fast. She bit her bottom lip, unsure where the sudden heaviness of the fatigue came from.

Numbly, Elsa turned to Kai. "It… it is done," she mumbled. Her arms began to quiver, her fingers pained and burned. She had never been troubled by the cold, but now her body was beginning to shiver uncontrollably. The broken dam wasn't the first incident that had required her enormous strength. It had been the third incident in the past six months, and it ate up her energy and psyche much more than she had ever experienced. If she was able to freeze the entire capital of Arendelle with ease, what powers of destruction that could have shaken her this much.

If anything, Elsa managed to freeze that weak, reluctant smile on her face as the crowd cheered on. Perhaps, it was the lack of breakfast, or the unfinished lunch. She should have listened to Anna after all. Or, that she didn't get enough sleep last night. Whatever it was, it became too much to bear, and the wind was knocked out of her lungs. Kai instantly stepped next to her and held her elbow, subtly keeping her on her feet. Elsa froze in her post as a thought struck her. If Kai had been watching her so closely to notice such changes in her postures, she feared if others might as well.

Elsa began to wheeze, her vision blackening fast. "E—everything is fine now... Make… make them leave…" She pulled out a white handkerchief from her pocket and raised it to her right cheek. Her body was always abnormally cool, and she had never sweated in her entire life. This was something new. Strangely, she could feel the wave of heat and cold switching so fast, upsetting her body temperature, and she was trembling in a desperate fight to steady it. If it wasn't for Kai's grasp on her, Elsa knew that she would have collapsed already.

Kai instantly waved at the group of people, and they obeyed. They were too happy and excited by the queen's accomplishment to notice. They started telling each other of the great, ice power that had just saved their towns and farms, as if none of them had witnessed it firsthand.

Only after everyone had left, Elsa inelegantly dropped against the low wall of the passageway. She would have fallen flat to the icy floor, if not for Kai's hands hurriedly pulling her up to a sloppy, sitting position.

"Y—your Majesty…!? Are you all right!?"

Elsa took a few deep breaths in. The long sleeves of her outfit, which she usually found too warm, now couldn't seem to provide her the warmth she needed. "I'm just… little… tired…" she spoke through her chattering teeth.

Kai looked over his shoulder, relieved that the villagers were gone. He, then, turned to the queen again. "How long can you hold the ice?" he asked, breathless.

Elsa's quivering hands clutched at her chest. "For… as long… as it needs be." Her tone was curt. She had her powers in control, and she had saved the towns and her people. She brushed his hand away from her arm. Holding back her breath, she stood up so fast, but her head swirled, her eyesight blinded by a vicious ball of thunderbolt.

"Your Majesty!" Kai grabbed her frail form, and sat her down again. "Guards! Guards…! Help us!" he shouted in panic as some parts of the ice wall began to melt. As the water started to submerge over the thawing edge of the wall, he scooped the queen up in his big arms and ran to the safety of the green slope.

Her heavy eyelids slid shut, Elsa uncontrollably shuddered as cold began to freeze her from the inside out, fighting and trying to chase away the vicious, foreign heat that was eating up her body. Her own powers were biting at her fragile bones, sharp pain radiating through her delicate skin. Not knowing what was happening to her, she only prayed for this painful moment to pass—that it was just a nightmare.

* * *

"Anna…? Have you prepared for tomorrow's trip?"

Sitting by the richly decorated, dressing table, Anna was combing her long hair in front of the large, oval mirror, getting ready before going to sleep. She was in her own room tonight as Elsa was away on a trip to Espen. The princess was in a thin, white nightgown, warmed in this summer night. She looked up and greeted Olaf with a smile as the snowman moved across the room towards her. "Yeah, they got me two suitcases full. The trip is only a week though. I don't know why they have to bring so much stuff."

Olaf merrily sat down by her feet. "Two suitcases for a princess on a week-long trip is already very economical. I see why you and Kristoff can get along really well!"

Anna turned to study herself in the mirror. "Ha. He'll probably bring just a sack with him, if at all. He'll complain if I bring too much."

"You picked the right choice, Anna. Midnight Cove is a nice honeymoon place," Olaf remarked with a knowing smile.

Anna paused, frowning. "Honeymoon?"

"When will there be good news, princess? The whole nation is waiting to hear it," Olaf chuckled, while playing with his carrot nose.

The eighteen-year-old princess clutched the silver comb in her hand, glancing down at the snowman. Yes, the time was near. She was at the age to consider suitors. However, she must admit that an ice harvester might be a little bit of an upset as one of the choices for a princess. Frankly, she was quite relieved that no one seemed to object the idea of Kristoff and her together. After all, the position of a queen would have required someone of a much higher status. And, that would leave Elsa to another big responsibility again. Sometimes she couldn't help but feel sorry for her sister. Just how much weight Elsa must carry on her shoulders—how much sacrifices she must make just to be someone the nation needs her to be.

"G—good news? It—uh… it's a bit too soon, don't you think?" Anna looked away, pretending to look at herself in the mirror again.

Olaf laughed to himself. "For you, probably. But, Elsa seems so distant. There've been several suitors begging at her feet, but they don't seem to hold a chance with her. To ease your sister's responsibility, you and Kristoff can produce an heir to ensure the succession to the throne."

"What—we—uh—why—err—" Anna blushed furiously. Her head wasn't working right, and she wasn't sure where to begin. The thought of his rough lips against hers—his big arms around her—practically reeled her mind. But… _An heir? OH GOD. Olaf, you're bad, bad, bad boy!_

Her business with Kristoff was a simple love story. They were two lonely souls who found each other on a great journey, contented to be with each other. It all had happened naturally, and she had had no formal explanation for the outside world. Their relationship had settled steadily for the past year. He sold ice. She helped feeding Sven, the reindeer. (Perhaps, she had been too generous that Sven wasn't fit enough to run in the snowy path anymore). Come to think of it now, Anna found herself and Kristoff a sort of a fairytale, a sweet story told to children and grandchildren. But, she realized that while Eternal Winter was the darkest days to many, it was also the most agonizing moment to her physically when her body was completely frozen by Elsa's powers. No one could understand how she felt then. Not Kristoff. Not even Elsa. She always kept the fear to her heart, afraid to face it, yet unready to let it go. Alas, no matter how one looked at it, it was just another story to be told—another obstacle to overcome.

Eventually, Anna chortled. She mildly shook her head. "I guess that we're taking it slow. I actually like the way it is for us now. I'm sure Kristoff feels the same way. He'd totally freak out if we have to deliver 'good news' to the nation soon."

"I will be happy for you either way, Anna… _But_, Midnight Cove, as I have researched, is a very romantic place, indeed!" Olaf smiled even wider, if that was possible.

Anna bent to place a finger over the tip of Olaf's nose. "Olaf is obsessed with it. Would you like to come with us?"

In the dimmed room, Olaf's eyes widened at the sudden, unexpected offer.

Anna straightened up again, her gaze dreamy. "White sand, they say. Crystal-clear water. Ooooh-so-blue ocean—"

"W—would you really take me there with you?" Olaf sprung up to stand on his white, short legs, twinkles of hope in his eyes. "You wouldn't mind?"

Anna burst out a fit of giggles. "We would love to have you there with us, Olaf. Well, since I know that you have always dreamt of the tropical sea! It'd be great if you would join us."

Olaf grinned so widely that he felt his snowy cheeks begin to tear. "I love you, Anna," he said with tearful eyes.

Clapping, Anna watched as the snowman danced in delight through her bedroom's floor. Her gaze never leaving him. She studied him. How was this possible? He was an otherworldly creature, yet felt so real. He had tested through time, which had proven to overcome the magic of memory loss, finally rekindling the bond between Elsa and her. He was the monument of their innocence—their hopes. Watching as he danced away in his happy, little songs, Anna could only wish to feel the surreal coolness against her skin again.

_Tonight is so cold without you— _But, her thought on a certain queen was rudely interrupted by the loud knocks on the door. Anna snapped at the urgency of it, her gaze sharp in the dimming room. Rarely had the maids or guards ever made such a bold presence at her door during the night. Her body stiffened at the notion. Something wasn't right.

"Your Royal Highness…! Are you awake, Your Royal Highness!?"

It was Gerda's voice, distraught and feared. It only stirred up dreads in Anna, her stomach uneasy. But, the young princess steadied herself, staring at the door.

"I'm awake. What is it, Gerda?" Anna delivered her question with her strained voice. She glanced at Olaf, who was watching her with an alarmed look.

Anna could see the set of shadow moving through the gap between the door and the lacquered floor. The moment Gerda dropped to her knees in desperation, Anna felt chill running down her spine, her heart clenched in fears.

"Words have been sent, Your Royal Highness. Her Majesty has fallen in Espen. They are bringing her to the autumn palace in Nortonia as we speak."

Before Anna knew, she had strode towards the door and swung the wooden plane open, her eyes widened with horror. She stared down at Gerda, her lips trembling.

"That is what they have reported, Your Royal Highness. They said that Her Majesty has remained unconscious, and the dam fell apart… again."

"The dam?" Anna took a moment to collect her thoughts. "She was required to fix… a broken dam?" she muttered, exasperated by the thought. Just what her sister must do to save the world from falling apart. Elsa was no savoir. _A broken dam?_ The queen of Arendelle was not a machine. _A broken—URGH!_

"The ice wall melt as soon as Her Majesty fell. Please, Princess Anna, the people need your support now."

Anna inwardly grumbled as she stormed back into her room once again. Without a care in the world, she pulled her nightgown off her head, tossing it onto the floor. She ignored Gerda and Olaf's wide eyes as she stalked naked towards the closet and pulled out a green dress. She dressed herself fast and covered herself with a thick, black cloak. Determination in her eyes, she strode out into the hallway, Gerda fast behind her.

"Send words to them. Hold the wall as best they could. The sandbags are needed. The bigger they are, the better. Damages done are done. We'll fix that later. But, right now, we have to slow the flood. They must keep going. Nobody sleeps tonight," Anna said as she strode down the central hall and headed towards the front gates. "Did they tell what caused it?"

"Caused what?"

"The dam. How the wall collapsed?" Anna rolled her eyes.

"They… they say it was cursed…" Gerda muttered darkly. The old woman clasped both hands together, trembling in fear.

"Nonsense." Anna shook her head. But, she stalled when she entered the bailey of the castle. Elsa's skating rink was melting, leaving swamps here and there. Anna felt her heart caught in her throat. _Oh, God, Elsa…_

Gerda quickly edged next to the princess, her gaze filled with worries. "P—please, bring Her Majesty back… bring her back…"

Anna didn't so much as acknowledged the old woman with a subtle nod. She turned to look at Olaf, who was trailing behind her. She bent lower to look at him more closely. "Olaf, I have to go. Please, tell Kristoff that I'm off to Nortonia. Meet me there, okay?"

Olaf nodded adamantly. He watched as the princess hopped onto the white horse and rode away. The carriage full of suitcases and whatnot hurriedly trailed after her. Only when Anna disappeared from his sight, he let out a long sigh.

"Be safe, you two."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I** can't believe that I forgot to make a note last chapter. Oh, well. I'm new here, and English is not my first language. You've been warned.

Thank you all for the support! :D

* * *

**Chapter 2**

* * *

Nortonia was the largest province in the northern part of Arendelle, and its famous waterfall was also the most popular tourist attraction in the legion. The colossal, sharply-jagged waterfall stood thirty miles north of Espen Dam. An endless path of rainbow forever crossed the sky over the watery cliff. The breathtaking scenery left one to wonder if heaven would resent its beauty.

Anna was standing on a large rock, admiring the massive cascade before her. Its water was crystal-clear and impossibly blue. Perhaps, as blue as the shade of her sister's eyes. In the heat of the afternoon sun, she welcomed the drizzles on her arms and face. She had shed off her black cloak, wearing now only the green dress she had worn since last night. Her eyes narrowed at the bright sunlight, her head a little heavy from the lack of sleep. Only the scenic view had kept her on alert, marveled by its glory.

She arrived Espen around four in the morning, but right away inspected the areas below the dam. Soldiers and villagers were in deep fears as the icy wall had completely melted, leaving them defenseless against the flood. However, at the presence of the young princess, they regained their confidence, and the hurling of large rocks and heavy sandbags progressed once more. The crops were beyond damage now, but at least they could lessen the damages on their homes and churches. She had traveled up to the waterfall to further inspect the areas personally, relieved that there had been less water to flow to the dam.

As much as Anna wanted to go see her sister right away, she was chained to the task in the field by the look of desperation in the villagers' eyes. They were her father's people—her people. For the first time in her life, she actually witnessed the pains and hopes in her people's eyes firsthand. Beyond the closed gates and, then, the luxurious social events, she began to see the life in the outside world. Her lesson with a charming prince was the start, but this was something new. Then, it hit her, and she began to understand how tired Elsa appear at times. There were days when no hot bath or fancy dinner could lessen her sister's stress over state matters. While she lived her life for the parties and the fast run on Kristoff's freshly lacquered sleigh, she had no idea what responsibilities her sister must face to keep peace in the kingdom.

"The barriers worked well, Your Royal Highness. They significantly slowed down the flood. The villagers seemed more at ease now as we promised them reduction of tax revenue this year," Kai reported. The man had come to stand a short distance behind her, his voice a little tired. It wasn't surprising as no one in Espen had a decent sleep or even an hour of rest last night.

"It's fortunate for us that it's summer. Less water to worry about. But, still, how did the dam break?" Anna wondered to herself as she knelt down and cupped some water with her jointed palms, splashing it against her face. _Ah. This feels good!_ She hummed a little at the coolness against her skin. She needed to keep those sleepy eyes open. She needed to say alert. Thinking things over, she might want to set up a military unit to watch around the dam. Surely, it wasn't an accident, but looked like a deliberate plan to cause disorder in Nortonia. Whoever did it, they almost succeeded.

After freshening up a bit, Anna pulled out a white handkerchief and wiped her face with the soft silk. She stared down at the water that flowed from the great waterfall down along the endless river. She cleared her throat before glancing at Kai. "How is Elsa?" she asked with a small voice, almost afraid to hear the answer. Kai had been busy with the villagers, and the unanswered question had been bugging her mind all night. It took him a moment before he spoke, but little did he know that it took her forever to breathe again at his short pause.

"Her Majesty has remained unconscious. We do not know what is wrong with her."

"C—can we move her back to the capital?" Anna trusted that her voice was still steady.

"There—uh, there has been a little bit of inconvenience in moving Her Majesty, Your Royal Highness. That is why we had Her Majesty rested here overnight."

Anna knew that her voice was a little high, her patience a little low. "If she has to stay here longer, where are the healers? Have you sent for them?"

"We have, Your Royal Highness, but none of them knew how to… _fix_ Her Majesty."

"The priests. What about the priests? The—the witchdoctors? Conjurers? Bring them all! The Queen must be well again." Agitated, Anna turned to face the mighty waterfall before her. She had felt good that she was of some helps with the flood, but now felt so small that she was unable to help her sister. She didn't even know what was wrong with Elsa.

Kai stopped for a moment, his eyes slightly widened in shock. He had never seen the princess so enraged as she was now. When he regained his bearing, he bowed again. "We will bring all who could help."

"Something isn't right." Anna brushed the sweaty bangs from her forehead. "Elsa was strong. She never fell ill. This is strange."

Kai looked grim as he contemplated. He watched the back of the princess with a heavy heart. "Her Majesty is a human being, Your Royal Highness. She can fall ill, and… and she can die—"

"Watch your tongue." The princess sharply turned at the adviser.

Kai bowed at her retort. There was a tinge of sadness in his eyes when he straightened up again. "I apologize, Your Royal Highness. But, I served your parents, and I have seen how life has treated us all. Her Majesty has all my best wishes, but as an adviser, it is my duty to warn you of what could possibly come. If that time should come, you will be the only hope Arendelle has."

Anna found herself drowned in Kai's words. Standing still, she felt the burn on her bare shoulders. The sun was so strong, almost melting her as she stood by the fierce river. Where was the cold she felt nights prior? Where had the soft whisper of the icy wind gone?

* * *

It took Anna's caravan several hours to travel through the rough road from the waterfall down to Espen. All had quieted down as villagers found their exhausted selves resting in their homes, and the troops set up camps along the higher hills in the woods. By the time Anna reached the autumn palace, which was located three miles west from the dam, the sun had already set. She had wanted to go to the waterfall alone, but the officials wouldn't let her. Or, Kai wouldn't let her. Thus, it slowed them a great deal when they had to travel in groups.

As she exited the carriage, a maid brought the black cloak and covered it over her slim shoulders. Anna absentmindedly nodded in gratefulness and strode up the stony stairways, heading towards the entrance of the palace.

The palace was built by King Magnus III as a gift to his favorite concubine, a village girl named, 'Christine'. Magnus was madly in love with her, and Christine paid the price with her life. It was said that she was murdered by the queen's order. A few hundred years after their deaths, their short-lived romance had been romanticized in several novels and poems. Anna had read them, and she had heard other less-than-extravagant versions of the tale. It was like a dream. It was surrealistically passionate and devoted. Anna didn't think anyone could love that much until she let her own body freeze in order to save Elsa.

It was the first time Anna had ever visited the monument of her ancestor's promise of love. The subject of love was never one of her interests until the gates were opened on Elsa's coronation day—until she met real people, good and bad. She had fallen in and out of love, so quickly that she hadn't even the time to spare a careful thought on it. She couldn't help but wonder if Magnus III had been in the same position as she was, falling for an illusion—an escape from a life they secretly dreaded.

Standing along the stairways, she looked up at the dark building built of cold rocks, offering rows of tiny windows. She tried to imagine what Magnus and Christine's love was like. Perhaps, their love was caged somewhere behind those thick, stony walls with little sunlight ever getting to it. Or, were they afraid to get out and face the truth.

Before her mind could wander further away, Anna tensed up again in fears. _Elsa. _Pulling up her skirt a bit, she rushed up the stairs and entered the main hall of the dark palace.

* * *

"I've been thinking… Should we send her away?"

Sitting by the row of tall windows in the royal hall, Queen Margaret looked up at her husband. Her lips trembled as she asked, "What are you suggesting?"

The king took in a deep breath as he looked away to avoid his wife's accusing gaze. His thick, red hair was kept short and styled. His deep set of emerald eyes was of the shade as rich as the tropical sea. With his straight nose, fair skin and delightfully curving lips, he was considered one of the most striking princes in the era. There was always a bright aura around him. The way he talked. The way he walked. Everything about him was elegant and charming.

That much, Elsa, the eight-year-old princess, could tell of her father. His beauty and magnificence were multiplied a hundredfold in a child's eyes. The young princess had stood in the hallway, peeping at her parents. She was bare-handed when she leaned forward against one of the columns. There had been a grin on her face. After months of practices on controlling her powers, she had come to peace with the ice stranger within her. Today, she had decided to come out of her room, wanting to tell her parents the great news personally. But, the smile on her face had vanished at her father's suggestion.

"I—I think that we should send her away. It's been months, and there's been no sign of progress. She's become a danger to Anna and everyone," the king said, looking away.

Staring at her husband, the queen shook her head, her clenched fists on her lap. "She is my child. She is not going anywhere, Oscar."

He turned his gaze upon his wife. "She is yours—"

"She is ours," she said softly. But, a heavy silence fell upon them.

For a long moment, his gaze continued to search. His words came cold as he spoke again. "I believe you, Greta. You know I always do."

Margaret kept her gaze somewhere on the slick floor, straightened her back and shoulders again. "You cannot just send away your child because you're afraid of them."

"_Afraid_," the king echoed. "Oh, Greta, she could freeze the grand hall in a matter of seconds. Lord knows what else she is capable of? She almost killed Anna. I cannot let that happen again."

"B—but she didn't mean to! Elsa will improve, I promise. We need to give her more time. And, Anna needs her sister. Please, don't hurt them anymore than this."

"Greta, it's not that I am unkind to her, but she is a threat to everyone's safety. To our people. To the kingdom. She will not get better. We have to accept the truth." The king sighed. "Don't worry. I will tell Anna myself. She's young, but she'll understand—"

Margaret threw herself at his feet, tears sliding down her cheeks. "Please, Oscar! Don't send her away! I'd never ask anything from you again! Please, don't send her away. I cannot bear to lose her. Please! Please… don't…"

The king fell silent as his wife sobbed at his feet. He closed his eyes for a moment before kneeling down and gently pulling her into his embrace.

The young princess quickly retreated from her spot as sheen of ice had begun to climb up the column she had just leaned on. It was coming back again. And, while she clumsily fumbled for her gloves, her mind revolved around what her parents had just said. She didn't want to be sent away. She would get better. She would learn to control her powers.

_I—I will—I will control… it… I will control—_ Elsa chanted in her head. But, her nervous hands dropped the gloves to the floor, and she dove to retrieve them. At the slightest touch of her fingers against the floor, a row of icicles dangerously protruded from the marble surface. Elsa slipped and fell backwards in a gawky attempt to avoid the sharp objects herself. She ignored the evidence of her failure yet again to control her powers, got up to her feet and started to run.

Her mother's cries still echoed in her head as she rushed down the narrow hallway towards her room. She expected a tear in her eyes, but there was none. She waited for it. She counted the seconds for it, but it never came. Before she could learn to control her powers, her heart had grown as cold as ice. Perhaps, it was better this way. Perhaps, the king was right. Only heaven knew what else she was capable of.

* * *

… _I… it… I… control…_ The words rang in the back of her mind. In the dark, Elsa tried to catch the breathed voice. It sounded so familiar, but she just couldn't remember whose voice it was.

"Control…" The whisper slipped through her lips a second before her eyes fluttered open.

Blue orbs were bloodshot. Elsa stared up at the wooden ceiling. This wasn't her bedroom, but where was she? It was too dark and cold in here. She tried to turn her face but realized that solid ice had grown along her skin, congealing her body to the bed. She tried to move, but her limbs were stiffened in blocks of ice.

_Wh—what's this…? What's happening to me!?_ Ever since Eternal Winter, Elsa had been able to control her powers with ease, comforted in knowing her own body and spirit. She didn't even need her gloves anymore. To see her powers spiraled out of control again, and to the point that she was hurting herself, was more than horrifying. _No. No. No… C—calm down, Elsa. You can do this… You can…_

Elsa squeezed her eyes shut and tried to concentrate. A moment later, she started to feel her fingers again, and her legs began to move against the melting ice. The ice on the walls and ceiling began to melt, cold water dripping down upon her. _Oh… oh, all right…_ When the ice completely melted, she pushed herself up on the bed, sighing in relief. She brushed the wet strands of her hair from her face. Her nightgown was soaked in the icy water, and her body, for the first time, shivered by the cold. Not having to look into the mirror, she felt like a puppy fallen into a puddle. She moved a bit, wanting to get up to find something to warm herself, but paused at the sight of Anna sitting on the chair next to the bed.

Eyes closed, Anna was wrapped in several blankets, her head knocking up and down. She was wearing a blue, knitted scarf, and a red, knitted hat. Elsa remembered those clothing articles to be Kristoff's humble gifts to her sister last winter. It amazed Elsa that Anna had brought them with her here. Her nose was reddened by the frost, the princess was sound asleep. Elsa could even hear her light snore. At the sound of movements on the bed, Anna was stirred out of nap, her sleepy gaze wandering around the room.

"Good morning, Anna."

Anna gave out a long yawn, yanking her gloved hand out from underneath the blankets and covered her mouth. "Hhh—mooorning, Elsa… nnnnhmm…"

Elsa couldn't help but giggle at her sister's impromptu response. Even though Arendelle and its people had accepted her powers, there were times when she grew paranoid of what others really felt towards her. There were uncertain and insecure moments. However, with Anna, she had only ever felt warmth, trust and love, so much so that Elsa herself wasn't sure what she had done to earn such faith from her estranged sister.

"Elsa!" Green eyes widened in a pleasant surprise as Anna suddenly jumped to her feet. The redhead tried to push off the blankets around her, but seemingly only tangled herself even more. "Thank God, you're awake again! Are you all right!? Are you hurt!? Who did this to you—"

"Slow down, Anna. I'm all right now. At least, I feel much better than… Wait… What happened?" Elsa frowned, trying to recall the moments before she passed out. The broken dam. The ice wall. The farms! Her people needed her help. At the thought, Elsa shot up from the bed, but was instantly pushed back down by Anna's firm grips on her shoulders.

"You were out cold for almost two days, Elsa. You need to rest." Freed from the blankets, Anna was now standing by the bed, forcing the queen down. "We managed to slow the flood, and Kai already took care of food supplies for the villagers. There's nothing else we could do but to wait it out. It's how we always deal with floods. You don't have to build a dam for them. You shouldn't push yourself too much, or you'd end up hurting yourself."

Elsa reluctantly nodded in compliance. Her sister was right. Before her powers, everything had its own problems and ways to solve them. Perhaps, she was trying too hard to earn the acceptance she felt that she needed.

Green eyes widened again in horror. "Your clothes are soaking wet! You must be freezing!" Anna quickly bent to retrieve the fallen blankets on the floor and brought them up to her sister.

"Apparently, 'freezing' is the right word." Mumbling, Elsa got up to her feet and pulled off the wet nightgown. "Thank you." She grabbed the blankets from her sister, but the sight of blushing Anna stopped her a bit. She wouldn't think that it was her naked body, which had caused Anna to look away, as they had had shared their baths many times before. What was Anna thinking?

"Anna."

Anna looked up, but was staring at something behind Elsa instead. "Uh—yeah?"

"Thank you," Elsa repeated as she lightly pulled at the blankets again. Only then Anna realized and let go off the items.

"Oh! Great! Yeah, there you have them! Y—you're welcome." Anna cleared her throat as she turned away. She walked towards the row of windows and pulled up the crimson curtains. "It's such a beautiful day, Elsa. We should go take a walk. It's my first visit here. I never knew that Espen could be this enchanting! The towns are so lovely. Oh, the waterfall up north. Yeah, have you been there? It was so beautiful! I'd love to take you there."

Elsa tightly wrapped the blankets around her still trembling body, cherishing the warmth she never needed. _So… it feels like this to be freezing…_ Her skin and bones hurt, and it wasn't something she would like to experience again. But, then she began to understand how others felt. Ironically, the painful experience made her feel like a normal human being.

"Elsa?" Anna turned to her sister, and frowned to see the queen bending a bit. She rushed to the blonde and feverishly rubbed along the woman's arms. "God, you're shaking."

"Oh, that… f—feels nice… T—thank you." Elsa thought it was quite funny that she was actually whispering through her chattering teeth.

"Don't." But, Anna bit her bottom lip, her gaze darkened. "Don't do this again. You need to know your limits. You had me worried sick, Elsa. You're the only family I've got left. I can't lose you again."

_Family._ Elsa's mind drifted away as the memory of her mother begging at the king's feet many years ago came back and haunted her. She slightly flinched when she felt a warm hand cupping her left cheek. Her gaze met with emerald one, and her heart sank at the fears in Anna's eyes. She had sworn to herself never to let her sister down again, but it appeared that she had just done it. Sometimes she felt so helpless even with the supernatural powers gifted to her, unsure if she was doing the right thing with it—uncertain where the gift would lead her. But, at a moment like this, when she saw how hurt Anna looked, she found herself rendered at her weakest state.

"You won't lose me, I promise. Everything I do, it is to protect you and the realm. Even then, you come first. You are above all else on my list, Anna," Elsa said earnestly. Without much thought. Without much expectations. It was just what she had always wanted to achieve, only she had been too young to break free from those walls that caged her within. Now that she had her powers at will, she would protect Anna at all costs.

Anna beamed with the brightest smile Elsa had ever seen. "And you are my priority. I could give up chocolate for the rest of my life, if that means that you'll be here with me always."

Elsa rolled her eyes. _So I'm worth a little more than chocolate. _Then, another thought hit her. "Anna."

"Yah?" Anna grinned even wider. Elsa could imagine her sister's imaginary tail wagging in a delightful, loyal response.

Elsa raised a brow. "Weren't you supposed to be on your trip to Midnight Cove?"

"Ah, that can wait. I had to see if you'd be fine."

Elsa adamantly shook her head, her chest tightened in guilt. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to ruin your trip! I knew how much you'd been looking forward to it. Oh, God, I'm so, so sorry, Anna. I'll have Kai arrange another trip—" But she was cut off by Anna's laugh.

"Silly! Midnight Cove can't run away, but I can always go there whenever I want. You're more important."

Elsa felt a little relieved, but guilt still hang heavily over her. "But you always talked about Midnight—"

"You've been listening to Olaf waaaaaay too much. It was all his idea, and then Kristoff just bought it. Eventually. Yeah." Anna shrugged with a lopsided smile. "But… but if there is another trip to Midnight Cove, would… would you like to come with us?" Anna held back a breath at her own question.

Elsa blinked twice. She was sure that she had never shown even the slightest interest in tropical seas, and she was even more certain that no tropical islands would welcome an ice queen at all seasons. Then, her brains started to stutter at the thoughts of sitting along the white-sanded beach, watching her scantily clad sister swimming with her boyfriend. No. She would rather spend the time reading in Royal Study. She had seen several paintings and drawings of Midnight Cove already, so she was sure that she wouldn't miss much. "I… I don't know how to swim. I didn't get to go out much, you see. Outdoor activities are still somewhat foreign to me, and—"

"Oh, Elsa, it's just that you seem so distant to us lately," Anna said. "You don't dine with us anymore. You don't talk to us. I—I mean whenever Kristoff was around. We aren't sure what's going on. Are you… You're all right with us?"

Elsa clutched the hems of the blankets tighter as she moved to the window, wanting some warmth from the sun, and a little more distance from her sister's searching look. "I haven't noticed it myself. Maybe you two are looking too much into things." All of a sudden, sheen of ice frosted along her arms, mercilessly biting at her skin. Elsa inwardly grimaced as she concentrated on her powers again. To her relief, the ice easily vanished. But, even so, she grew deeply anxious. Since when had her powers turned against herself? Something had gone terribly wrong.

"Kristoff's been worried if he had upset you in any way, if he had said something not nice. I know that he's just a mountain man, and he has—or has not the manners of a nobleman, but he has such a good heart! He eats with Sven. He never let Sven starve. He's a very, very kind man."

Elsa absently nodded as she turned to her sister. She agreed with Anna on everything; Kristoff was one of the nicest guys she had ever met. He was kinder than she could have ever been. "I've been very busy. I am sorry if I have been distant to all of you. I promise that I'll be more careful. Please, assure Kristoff that there's nothing to worry about." She forced out a smile for Anna. It should have been an easy smile, but strangely, she had found it to be one of the most difficult ones she had to muster in her entire life. She wouldn't know why she couldn't be completely happy for them. Possibly, it was him being a commoner, despite her granting him the title of the official ice harvester of the realm. He needed to become more for a princess—for her precious sister.

_Yes, that's it. It's just his entitlements. We can fix that later, maybe. _Elsa told herself.

"Really? Oh, great, Elsa!" Anna beamed, excitedly gripping her sister's blanketed arms. "It's so nice out. I'll tell Kai to prepare us lunch by the river then!"

* * *

Elsa never felt so thankful in her entire life for dry clothes. She was freshened up with a hot bath prepared by the maids, and now dressed in a black gown with blue stripes along her long sleeves. Her thick, blonde hair was pulled up into a loose bun. The hanging strands of her hair appeared white against the light, swaying with the wind, and she wasn't in the mood or state to proper them. It was a day off for her, and she could look a lot less like a queen.

Elsa took a few deep breaths in. The sun was strong, and they were sitting at a small pavilion by the river. She was sweating underneath her clothes, while her body was still shivering, fighting the waves of chilliness numbing her from the inside.

"Aren't you hungry? I thought you were starving."

_Right._ Elsa listened to Anna, and then stuffed herself with a forkful of fresh vegetable.

"Yeah, well, thanks." Kristoff mumbled as he bit the meat from his girlfriend's fork.

For a brief moment, Elsa halted at the sight, realizing that Anna wasn't talking to her. She continued to chew the vegetable in her mouth, but it tasted stale now on her tongue. Subtly, she ran her fingers up along her neck and lightly pulled open her high collar. The heat was getting her, and she suddenly lost her appetite. She decided to take a gulp from her cold drink instead. She turned to stare out at the river instead of the young couple sitting opposite to her. The thought of playing in the cold water did come across her mind. It seemed as though her body couldn't decide if it was burning or freezing.

"Oh, wait." Anna yelped a little.

Elsa glanced over at her sister to see Anna wiping the creamy substance from Kristoff's lips. She quickly looked away again, discomfort rising within her. She didn't want to feel like the third wheel, but she was definitely one now. At least, she saw in his glances that he, too, felt awkward at her presence. Elsa clenched her fists on her lap, hiding them below the stony table. Maybe it was his low upbringing. Maybe it was the way he talked—the way he walked, which was completely opposite to how a prince should be. Elsa knew that her sister deserved better than that.

_Father…_ Out of the blue, the memories of the late king interrupted her thought process. Her father was handsome, his every step graceful. He was a walking art, a portrait of confusion—of a million interpretations. Did he ever love her? Did he hate her? Was he really her biological father? There was never an absolute answer. There was never hope to begin with.

"…sa… Elsa…"

Elsa snapped at the call of her name, and turned to see a questioning look on her sister's face. "Yes?" She immediately straightened up in her sitting pose.

"Are you all right? You look a little pale." Anna appeared deeply worried, and it only worsened Elsa's guilt.

"I'm fine." Elsa began to pick at the food on her plate, patiently waiting for her body to ignore the heat form the sun and the coldness in her bones. But, her head started to spin again, and she put the fork down. "I—I guess I need to rest a bit more. I'm still… dizzy…"

Anna instantly got up and walked over to the queen. She grabbed Elsa's thin arms and said, "Let's go. I'll take you back to the palace."

Elsa briefly glanced at the crystal-clear water that was flowing from the Nortonia falls and down the wide river. For some reason, she just couldn't really look at her sister in the eyes at the moment. She, then, shakily stood up and smiled. "Kai can help me back. You should stay here and finish your lunch with Kristoff." She turned to the ice harvester. "Please, enjoy your meal. My sister loves—"

"Chocolate." Both Elsa and Kristoff spoke in unison, and they chuckled at it.

Kristoff waved his hand a bit and said, "Don't worry. She'll have her dessert."

Elsa offered him a polite smile before she walked out of the pavilion. Several maids followed her, protectively holding her arms. She never liked to appear so weak in front of her people, but it could get worse than this. Indeed, she needed to get some rest if she wanted to be well enough to journey back to the capital tomorrow.

_Cold. So cold._


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **Thanks for the encouragement, ppl :)

No beta.

* * *

**Chapter 3**

* * *

Loud cheering echoed through the castle's bailey as thousands had gathered around, waiting for the queen's arrival. On the bright, sunny afternoon, the royal convoy arrived at the capital. The white carriage came to a halt in front of the opened gates.

Inside the carriage, Elsa straightened up in her seat. A nervous smile graced her face as she glanced out the window at the people cheering outside. They were singing with joy, shouting her name.

Watching Elsa, Anna smiled knowingly. It had been only a year since Elsa ascended the throne, and her sister was still nervous around the crowd. There had been high expectations. There had been doubts, or rumors about just everything concerning their young and beautiful queen. For a person living in isolation for so long to now live as a public figure, not to mention becoming the head of state, was probably one of the hardest tasks ever to come across. But, Anna thought that her sister was doing quite all right with her new role. There were glitches here and there. Awkward speeches, impromptu moments, inelegant or just plain weird, but the queen had still remained endearing in her people's eyes.

"Elsa?" Anna clutched her sister's cold hand. "Are you ready?" It had only been a week since Elsa left for Nortonia, and the people missed their queen already. Surely, the warm welcome wasn't what Elsa had expected at all.

"Yes, of course, it's good to be home—Oooh—" The door was swung open by the guard, and Elsa unceremoniously fell off the carriage.

"Elsa!" Anna reached out, but the guard had quickly supported the queen's weight, holding her up by the arms.

Elsa was wide-eyed for a moment, but rapidly turned, her feet quickly finding the ground. "Ahem." Blushing at the inept moment, the young queen cleared her throat, signaling the guard to remove his hands. He promptly did so and bowed so low that his head almost knocking her shoulder. "Aa—at ease." She briefly glanced at him, then adjusted her collar as she strutted off.

Chortling, Anna climbed out of the carriage. She followed her sister, leaving a short distance between them. While she gingerly waved, smiling at the crowd, she kept her vigilant gaze on Elsa. It relieved her that Elsa's health had improved during the week in Nortonia. There were no more ice accidents. No more freezing oneself in the sleep. The queen's stride had regained its elegance. Anna was certain that the people of Arendelle felt the same bubbly flurry in their heart as she did now as when ice began to form underneath Elsa's every step as she moved towards the castle. The ice plate spread quickly, materializing into the magical, ice-skating rink once more. Everyone's boots and shoes were turned into ice skates.

Everyone's except Anna's.

As Anna carefully stepped along the slippery floor, she glanced up to see a soft smile on her sister's face as the queen took an old woman in her stoic, yet sincere embrace. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight. She could tell the nervousness in Elsa's eyes, but she hadn't seen Elsa this happy in a long while now.

_It's so good to be home._ Anna smiled to herself.

As the queen was being hugged and towed away by the loving crowd, Elsa turned to look over her shoulder and frowned a bit at Anna's shoes. She slightly raised her right hand.

Anna immediately shook her head. "No. No. No. My legs are so sore! _Sore_. No skating today." She was whispering, but believed that Elsa could actually read her lips. She would like to keep her shoes for now. Then, the thought of a long, hot bath seemed really enticing all of a sudden.

* * *

Elsa groaned in satisfaction as she lowered herself into the hot water, leaning back against the cool bathtub. The bath was much needed since she could still feel the frost along her fingertips. Although she had been feeling miserable during the week in Nortonia, her body was adjusting, and the prospect was looking hopeful. With her hair pulled up, she tilted her head back to rest against the edge of the tub, her eyes calmly shut. Her jaw clamped tightly as she hugged herself in the water, trying to fight off the last bit of numbness off her body.

_Almost._

* * *

"Ooooooh!" Anna literally dove into her bathtub. Her legs were so sore, her feet blistered from the long walks through the farms and towns she were inspecting in Espen. Humming happily, she kicked her legs wildly. She grinned as she felt the flow of warm water splashing down upon her back as maids continued to pour water into the tub to refill the amount the princess had splattered off. Her bathroom was always a mess, and she loved it.

"Ahhh! This is so good!" Anna flipped over, fanning her arms and legs under the water, cherishing every bit of freshness her body needed. For a moment there, she felt like a mermaid receiving the first, merciful splash of water after being stranded on land.

* * *

Rising from the bathtub, Elsa took a fresh towel from Rebekka, one of her handmaids. "Thank you."

Her mother had assigned Rebekka under Gerda's supervision years ago. Now, Rebekka was acting as Gerda's closest assistant. They acquainted since they were young, but their contact was limited due to Elsa's thirteen-year isolation. Even then, Elsa had seen Rebekka around more often than her own sister during those years. She guessed that their parents kept Anna as far away from her as possible to prevent another accident, which was understandable on their part. If anything, Anna would be the next ruler of Arendelle, if something should happen to Elsa. To think that her parents still trusted to make her the heiress to the throne was amusing to her now. After all, she was a damaged goods, never to be fully repaired.

_I'm not even his—_

"Would Your Majesty receive her lunch? Salmon, trout or lobster?"

The question thankfully interrupted her thought, and Elsa turned to the servant. "I'll just have a cup of coffee. Royal Study." Wiping her body with the towel, Elsa added, "Tell Sir Kai to be ready in an hour. I want Lord Goddard there, too, with his overdue reports… Oh, and it'll be great if Sir Wirnhier could be there." She paused a little, contemplating. "In fact, he has to be there today. I have a matter to discuss with him."

Rebekka curtsied and left the bathroom.

Elsa sat along the edge of the tub, drying her body with the soft towel. A hot bath was an excellent cure to many things; exhaustion or stress. She wondered if Anna was thinking the same thing. Then, she stopped at a thought. _Oh, I forgot to invite her!_

* * *

Anna let out trails of bubble breath, squinting as she watched them surface the water.

Curling up in the warm water in her tub, she hugged her knees, blinking slowly as she tried to relieve her mind from the events of the past week, but flashes of the broken dam, the floods, and the desperation in the people's eyes were still apparent. It had been the princess' first visit to inspect the problematic areas in the country. What she had experienced in Espen was far from her various, happy vacations she had had with Kristoff. But what troubled Anna the most was the memories of the sleeping queen buried in the ice block she herself unknowingly created. The thought of Elsa being frozen to death scared Anna even more than when she was about to die at Hans' blade.

Clutching at her chest, Anna shot up, her head rising above the water for air. "Aaah!" Water licking her chin, Anna slumped back against the tub. Both hands wiping the hair from her face, she took a few deep breaths in, trying to calm herself down. Shakily, she gripped both sides of the tub as she gazed around. She was imagining things again. 'Overthinking' was it. Elsa was fine now, and was in control of her powers again. There was nothing to worry about. Arendelle was peaceful, and she would stand by Elsa for as long as it needed be.

"Your Royal Highness."

At the call, Anna turned to see Milla, her handmaids, and took the towel from the dark-haired, chubby girl in a black dress. "Thanks. You may go... W—wait."

Milla stopped, turning around. "Tell Kristoff that he will receive me by the rink in a few moments."

After Milla left the bathroom, Anna rose to her feet and got out of the tub. For a moment, she studied herself in the large, oval mirror near the doorway. She had always been the slender type, but it was noticeable now that she had lost several pounds during the visit to Nortonia. She stared at herself for a long moment, many thoughts wandering through her mind. What would Kristoff say about the more prominent lines along her ribs?

_Would Elsa notice?_

Anna staggered at the latter thought, and her cheeks suddenly flushed. She bit her bottom lip as she clutched the towel in her hands. She didn't like her thoughts at all. She didn't like where they led her. Lately she had noticed too much, and they were unimportant things. She and Elsa were two, very different persons, and she should not linger to their childhood days anymore. Building a snowman was no longer one of their concerns. Even Olaf had his own life now. Elsa had finally found her path, and Anna should already start to design her own.

_My life. Mine._ Anna strode out of the bathroom. There was someone waiting for her. She wanted the arms as warm as a forever summer, not an embrace as cold as a lonely winter.

* * *

As busy days became constant on her calendar, a black dress was the quickest attire of choice to get ready and out of her room. Elsa must have at least a few hundreds of black dresses, different on the fabric, the details along the sleeves, the collars or the hems of the dress. If she wanted something different on a particular day, she would just throw in an elaborately embroidered cloak. But, on a normal work day, she kept it as minimal as she could.

Elsa had applied light makeup. Her platinum blonde hair was braided, loosely wrapped around the back of her head, though she could still feel the slight dampness in her hair after the bath. At any rate, she felt ready to go. As usual, she found herself greeted by stacks of books and papers in the Royal Study. She smiled at the unanimated objects as if they were her best friends. She felt safe in this dimmed, thick-walled room. Away from the wildfire, the broken dam and the ruined farms, she was herself again in her own little world, hurt but safe. She was kept away from all her parents had told her—the dangers—the hatred others would use against her. She was fine again.

The queen comfortably propped herself against the wide armrest of the high-backed, oak chair. A light smile appeared on her face as she flipped through the documents in her hands. The higher the stacks of papers mounted on the large desk, the safer she felt. She would read them all and memorize every details. When she had no one, the dead pages had befriended her. When her dreams became stale, the pages reminded her that she was still alive.

"With treasury reserves running low for the past decade, Arendelle cannot afford the construction. But Tyro has already expressed interest to invest in a bigger harbor. It is the first country to offer us a deal, and with the biggest budget, too. They want Arendelle to become the best port, pride of the Northern Sea. There are other offers from other countries, but your aunt is queen of Tyro, so our tie is strong. It could be a great opportunity for Arendelle and her future," Lord Goddard explained as he skimmed through the documents laid down on the large, wide desk situated in the middle of the room. Goddard was a white-haired man in his mid-seventies. He had been one of the late king's advisors, and had helped managing state matters during the three-year absence of a real ruler.

Elsa considered Goddard's suggestion. After all, Arendelle was a medium-sized country. Her advantage was her location at the narrow opening of the canal, which led to a vast mainland that consisted of several, other kingdoms to the east and northeast. Arendelle had her advantages, but the fact that she was much smaller than her neighbors put the nation in constant threat. Tyro, the largest kingdom in the Northern Sea, could have easily invaded Arendelle, if it wanted to. A new harbor would surely be accomplished if Arendelle accepted Tyro's offer, but it could put Arendelle at risk for having Tyro meddle in her internal affairs.

Elsa turned to look out the window, watching people skating below. But, her mind was not moving with them. Their smiles only reminded her that she must do all she can to guarantee their safety and happiness. She knew that Arendelle could still maintain her independence mainly because of her aunt, Queen Lucia. To refuse Tyro would put Arendelle at odds with the current world's dominant kingdom. What would her father do now?

"Queen Lucia has sent Your Majesty, and Her Royal Highness, Princess Anna, invitations. There will be a ball to celebrate Queen Lucia's third son, Crown Prince Leroy's twenty-sixth birthday next month." Lord Goddard cleared his throat a bit. "He is still single, and there have been exciting speculations over the possibility that he will select his future queen during the ball. It would be a grand opportunity for—uh—for—"

Kai and Wirnhier glanced at each other, and rolled their eyes.

Elsa raised her brows at the notion, oblivious of what Goddard was trying to imply. "Oh, yes, I almost forgot. Of course, I'll have to be there. But Anna probably doesn't need to go. It's going to be a long trip, and I don't want to tire her."

Standing along the wide desk on the opposite side to Goddard, Kai had been listening to the suggestions concerning the new harbor. He cleared his throat. "Your Majesty, if I may."

Elsa flipped through more pages and easily shrugged. "Go on, Kai."

"With their knowledge of your powers, I think that Your Majesty would be safer in Arendelle."

The notion did earn the queen's attention. Elsa looked up from the papers, mildly perplexed. "What are you suggesting?"

"Would it be safer if we send them gifts to congratulate Prince Leroy instead?" Kai said.

"But Queen Lucia is Your Majesty's aunt. There will be no harms to come to Your Majesty while in Tyro," Goddard interrupted.

"Lucia imprisoned two of her oldest sons. She has had long history of cruelties and abnormalities," Kai said. His tone became slightly heated.

Elsa's gaze flickered between the two advisors. "What abnormalities?"

"Witchcraft and sexual activities."

Elsa blinked a few times. She didn't trust that her face remained neutral since she could feel the heat creeping up her neck and cheeks. "I cannot imagine why my aunt would require such favors from me."

"No, Your Majesty, that is not what I meant. I only want to warn you of Lucia's true person. She cannot be trusted. She is the cruelest being—"

Elsa waved her hand in dismissal. "She did the right thing, didn't she? Her sons were plotting against her. Anyone would have done the same thing." She looked at Goddard, and then the quiet Sir Wirnhier, who was occupying one of the chairs by the doors, offering her only a silent stare.

"That is correct." Kai humbly bowed. "But she had them imprisoned and tortured for years before their executions. Their heads were speared on the Great Tyrorian Wall alongside the commoners, without names to acknowledge the princes. Normally, they would grant royals a quick death, and then at least a proper funereal ceremony. Lucia is cruel. She is a mad woman. Your Majesty will be safer here."

"Your Majesty," Goddard, his voice croaked with worries, "I also have heard of the queen's peculiar behaviors, but she would have no reason to harm Your Majesty, unlike the two princes. It is only an annual celebration, but Arendelle has been hiding herself from others for so many years. This could be the first, friendly step."

Elsa paused at Goddard's last words. _It was all because they needed to hide me. Everyone suffered because of me…_

"I believe it is crucial that Your Majesty would show yourself to the world. Even though the people of Arendelle love you and forgive you after the Eternal Winter, the outside world still doubt Your Majesty's true intentions. They know next to nothing about Elizabeth IV, only your fearsome, mystical powers, and there have been tales about your monstrosities, especially among the kingdoms in the Southern Sea. They are gathering, and they have posted threats against us. There have been minor incidents, but they are growing in number. Arendelle needs to quell such foul rumors, and show them what we truly are. Hiding in Arendelle forever will not save the country, Your Majesty. Like your aunt, Queen Lucia never shied away despite what opinions were spread about her person."

Elsa bit her bottom lip. She glanced at Kai and saw the distraught in his eyes. His gaze was warm, filled with genuine worries. It was the look she had never gotten from other advisors or royal servants. It was a look of a family member when they needed each other. If she were to be in danger and needed someone to trust her life with, it would be him. However, her duty as queen was to bring Arendelle forward. She couldn't possibly let Arendelle suffer just because she feared for her own life. Besides, her ice powers were invincible. She should be able to take care of herself just fine, if something should happen. She would not hide anymore. She had been doing it most of her life, and good never came out of it.

"All the more reasons Anna will not be going." Elsa then nodded at the white-haired man. "Lord Goddard, I accept the invitation."

Kai took a step forward. He looked as if to leap across the desk. "Your Majesty—"

"I have already decided. I will be all right. No one can harm me."

Kai was now red in the face. "Your Majesty, only last week, you lost control of your powers. You injured yourself—"

"Kai!" At Elsa's command, ice covered the whole room, leaving only books and documents unscathed. Icy spears grew from the walls and ceiling, threatening dangerously. The three advisors fell silent, and both Kai and Goddard stood absolutely still in their spots. Even though they had watched Elsa growing up, or that they had frequented the castle's ice-skating rink for the past year, they were now reminded of how dangerous her powers really were as they had witnessed it on her coronation day.

Sir Wirnhier quietly stood up from his ice chair, and cleared his throat.

At the moment, Elsa inwardly staggered, her breath low and shaky. She had not meant to threaten her loyal subjects. She had only wanted to stop Kai from saying too much in front of Wirnhier and Goddard. Surely, she was in full control of her powers, and there was nothing to be worried about. "I accept the invitation, and that would be all," she said, her voice a little shaky. Quickly, she turned to the row of windows again. Ice began to melt away as Goddard and Kai bowed and left the Royal Study.

_I'm in control. Control. Control—_

"Your Majesty."

Elsa flinched. She glanced over shoulder and noted Wirnhier's presence still by the chair. Then, she had to remind herself of the reason she had summoned him today.

Dark-haired, Wirnhier was a tall, muscular man in his early fifties. He started out as a young knight during the early years of her father's reign. He was never the strongest or quickest warrior in the field, but his wit and ruthlessness triumphed all his opponents. He became one of the advisors when Kai suggested his name to her father, King Oscar, only months before the maritime disaster. A valuable man he was, he would have been made a lord by now, but his rank had stalled all these years due to him being a foreigner by birth. Wirnhier's native country was the Southern Isles, and suddenly the memories of Hans trying to kill her and Anna rushed into Elsa's mind again.

"Your Majesty needs something from me." It wasn't a question, but a statement. He knew her better than her father.

"Yes," Elsa finally said. She straightened up her back as she still leaned against the armrest. "Kristoff. Kristoff Bjorgman. He's the—"

"A companion to Princess Anna. Yes, I have seen him around."

Elsa cleared her throat a little. "Right. H—he's a friend of hers. I would… I would like to knight him and grant him some lands. Arrange that for me."

A moment of silence from Wirnhier was always something. "But he has never been in battles, Your Majesty. The most dangerous moment he becomes is when he cuts ice," he said with a straight face.

Elsa knew that there would be an uproar among the young knights if she were to just reward Kristoff the title. But, Anna needed a respectable suitor, not some ice harvester who lived in some jungle that did not even have a proper name. If anything, Anna was a princess of Arendelle, and Elsa would not let her sister fall to scrutiny. "I'm sure that can be fixed. Assign him to a squad. Send him to the borders for a few months, and that should suffice." Then, he would be worthy of her beloved sister. "And the—the castle up north, Whitestone. Yes, Whitestone Fort. It has been left vacant, hasn't it? Lord Salomon passed away many years ago without an heir. I need you to take care of the fort, and grant it to Kristoff when he returns from the borders."

There was a long moment of silence from Wirnhier as he stared down at her. His steady, cold gaze made her uneasy, and Elsa had to remind herself that she was the queen here. But _the_ Wirnhier stare always had the unwanted effect on her, and she had to look away like a child caught stealing candies. She pretended to focus on the papers in her hands again, counting the seconds he would bow and leave (and take care of her orders).

_Dammit. He's still staring. What did I do wrong?_

Elsa couldn't help it. When he moved beside her, her body tensed when she could feel his larger-than-life presence so close.

"If what Sir Kai had said about your week in Nortonia was true, if what the dreaded rumors at the dam were true, I believe that Your Majesty has a much more serious matter at hand other than making an ice-cutter man into something that he is not."

Elsa turned ever so slightly, and her eyes widened at his extended fist at her side. There was blood oozing from his clenched fist. Then, he spread out his thick fingers, revealing a piece of sharp, broken ice upon his bleeding palm. The ice solid had not melted. It had not gone along with the icy spikes that had covered the walls of the room. Her fingers trembling, Elsa raised her hand to his, and at her light touch upon the bloodied piece of ice, it evaporated into thin air, leaving only the bloodstain on Wirnhier's cut hand.

"You…" Elsa sharply turned to face the window again, clenching her fists on her lap. "You need to have a look at the wound, Sir Wirnhier. It looks deep."

"I have endured far worse wounds than this. But Your Majesty might need some times to reassess her own vulnerabilities. Arendelle would not miss an old knight like me, but she cannot lose her queen." Then, he bowed and walked off.

Elsa remained still. As soon as the doors closed behind Wirnhier, she let out a shaky sigh. She raised her hands and studied them. What was going on with her? She had thought that she was fully in control of her powers, separating each piece of paper and documents from the ice. But the sharp ice in Wirnhier's hand was telling her otherwise. Then, worst fears gripped her. Surely, her failure at the dam had been discussed, gossips spreading among the people. But she kept mounting her mistakes even in this dark, castaway study, injuring one of her advisors. What else was to come next? Perhaps Wirnhier was right; she shouldn't have to worry about her aunt and her oddity, but her own powers spiraling out of control. She wouldn't want to put Arendelle up to disgrace for the second time of her reign so soon.

Elsa groaned as she pinched the bridge of her nose. The headache came back, pounding her head with the unwelcomed ache along her limbs. She couldn't tell exactly what was happening to her, but it felt like her body was fighting a disease. Some days she would feel fine, but then the weak moments would strike her when she least expected it. The cycle kept repeating, and she wasn't sure what she could do, or where to seek help.

Before her mind would delve deeper into fears, a unique laughter from the bailey of the castle reached her. It was the laughter she wished to hear in her dreams. It was the only laughter that could pull her back from her nightmares. Elsa instantly moved to the window. It was Anna's laugh as the princess skated alongside Kristoff. Among the happy crowd, they were speeding up, their hands linked. Elsa involuntarily stiffened at the sight, recalling how Anna complained that her legs were sore just a few hours ago.

_Smashed._

Elsa flinched. She turned to see that her hand had accidentally pushed the teacup off the desk. The cup broke into several pieces on the floor, but its tea content was frozen. _Oh, God._ She inwardly grumbled at yet another incident she had made today, however small it appeared to be.

Rebekka burst through the doors. "Your Majesty!? Are you all right, Your Majesty!?"

"Yes… yes I'm fine." Elsa sighed.

Rebekka noted the broken cup on the floor, and waved for the maids outside the doors to come in and clean up. "Would Your Majesty receive another cup of tea?"

"Yes, that would be—" But Elsa halted at the sound of Anna's laugh. She sternly walked back to her chair and sat down. "I'll have some wine."

With a brief, puzzled look, Rebekka curtsied, and left with the maids.

* * *

A wide smile on her face, Anna sped up, surpassing Kristoff. She waved her arms up high, declaring her victory. "Woooooohooooooo!"

"That's unfair! You didn't tell me it was a race!" Kristoff sulked as he eventually skated to her side.

Anna laughed. "Oh, come on, Christopher. Admit your defeat!" When his face screwed up in disapproval at her usage of the name, she knew that she was doing the right thing. "It's simple. I always win. Haha."

"You could just ask," Kristoff teased, smirking.

Anna looked away, grumbling. "I could win on my own."

"Whatever you say, Your Royal Highness." He offered his arm, and she gently took it. They skated towards the side of the rink and sat down along the row of wooden benches.

"Good afternoon, Princess Anna!"

"Your Royal Highness! Beautiful day, isn't it!?"

The townspeople cheerfully waved at the young couple. Having frequented with the princess on the rink, they were friendly with Anna, occasionally dropping the strict, social etiquettes with her. Anna didn't mind at all, and somehow she even wished that Elsa would join her here more often. She was sure that the people would love to know their ice queen a little more.

Kristoff lightly nudged her. "Hungry? You haven't had lunch, right?"

"I'm not very hungry—b—but a cake would be nice!"

"_Chocolate_. Be right back." With that, he walked off to Maria's cake booth on the outside of the opened gates. With his gawky manners, he waved at the townsmen, greeting them casually.

Anna watched him with a smile on her face. People seemed to be at ease with him. It felt great that her relationship with Kristoff hadn't faced any objections so far. The people of Arendelle seemed to accept them as they were; there had not been a dissent concerning the difference in their social statuses. None that she knew of. She felt her heart beam at the comforting thought.

Initially she didn't want to skate today, but Kristoff insisted that he had a surprise for her. The result didn't disappoint her. She glanced down at her feet and admired the new pair of creamy-colored ice skates she was wearing. Kristoff had just bought her the pair today, claiming that she needed not wait for Elsa to conjure her a pair anymore—that now she was free to race anywhere and whenever she wanted.

The princess had never thought of it before. Before this, she was happy just to wait for her sister to make it happen. Now, having a pair of her own wasn't so bad after all. She happily hummed to herself, slightly leaning back with both her hands firmly planted behind her. She looked up, and her gaze travelled up to the third floor of the castle, which was located opposite to her side of the rink. There was a row of tall windows towards the west wing of the third floor, but one window in particular caught her attention. It was the large window to the Royal Study. And, if she wasn't mistaken, she spotted a shadowy figure standing by one of the windows there.

_Elsa…?_

At once, Anna straightened up, staring harder at the window. The figure quickly moved away, and Anna had no idea where the awful feeling suddenly came from. Was it really Elsa? But so what if her sister saw her having a good time here? Elsa wouldn't mind, would she? The queen didn't need her to be in every meeting. But, Anna's face fell as she felt small in her seat. Her heart sank as she imagined Elsa being walled behind those stacks of documents alone, and yet she was out here, enjoying the sun.

_But it's weekend. Elsa didn't have to work…_ She debated with herself.

"Here's your cake!" Kristoff approached her, and sat down next to her again. He gave her the box of chocolate cake, but her appetite had vanished now.

"Uh—yeah, thanks." Anna took the cake and quickly stood up. "I—I just remembered that I have to be in a meeting. I'll see you later, yeah?"

Kristoff looked confused, but eventually nodded. "Sure. Dinner tonight?"

"Yes! Six is good! Perfect. Awesome. Six, it is." Anna showed off her set of white, perfect teeth.

Kristoff gave her a peck on the cheek and said, "I'll see you by the gates then."

Anna had one hand holding the cake box, her other hand waving at him, as she skated fast towards the castle's doors.

* * *

Once Anna reached the stairs, she quickly took the ice skates off and changed back to her shoes. She ran into the central hall of the castle and continued her flight up the stairs, reaching the third floor in one, long intake of a breath. Once she was in the quiet hallway, she slowed down a bit, regaining her composure. Her freckled cheeks flushed in exertion. The servants along the passageway nodded at her, their presence confirming her that Elsa was still in the Royal Study.

"Cake!" Anna announced as she made her way through the thick, carved, wooden doors, a wide smile on her face.

As expected, Elsa was seated at her majestic desk, mulling over boring papers. The young queen looked up, and the most gorgeous definition of blue stared at Anna in a pleasant surprise. Elsa lowered the papers in her hands down to her lap, partially hiding them behind the menacing, wide desk. She sniffed a little before she said, "Chocolate."

Elsa bent to her left a little, her gaze scanning Anna up and down, but didn't make any comment.

Gleeful, Anna scurried to stand next to her sister and propped herself along the edge of the desk, holding the box in her hand with a goofy grin on her face. "Hungry?"

Comfortably leaning back in her chair, Elsa sniffed a bit more. "_Maria's_. But… her husband baked them. It smells a bit of burn there."

Anna rolled her eyes. Yes, Kristoff had bought the cake from Maria's cake booth, and yes, Maria was absent today, leaving her husband to take care of business. Presumably, Maria had other important business to deal with, or the baker was just ill today. "Cake is cake. Just eat it. You're a walking skeleton, Elsa. You need some sugar."

Elsa put the box on the desk and opened it. There was one chocolate cake inside. After a moment, she looked up to meet with green pools again. "I'm fine, Anna. You needn't worry. You look famished yourself. I bet you've lost quite a few pounds in Nortonia. And here I thought that you were happy there."

Anna briefly paused. Her knuckles whitened as she gripped the edge of the desk. Elsa had noticed. Elsa had been watching her. Such scrutiny that Anna didn't expect from anyone at all, although she couldn't deny that she had hoped for Elsa to notice.

"Maybe we should share the cake." Elsa smiled.

"I'd love to. I'm starving. I haven't had lunch yet."

Elsa chuckled. She picked up the cake and lifted it up to Anna's lips, in which the younger woman instantly opened her mouth and took a big bite. "Careful. Or, you'd bite my fingers off," she teased, chuckling. "And don't choke yourself."

Anna chewed happily. Her cheeks bobbling, she wiped her lips with her fingertips. "Imma… I… I'm a grown woman… now." She coughed, and then swallowed hard. Perhaps she had taken too big of a bite. "And… and even if I forgot my meals sometimes, Kristoff will make sure that I have something."

The queen looked away for a second before feeding Anna another bite. "Of course, he is a caring man."

Anna took another huge bite, her eyes closed. _Hmmmmmm. So good! _She opened her eyes again, but was slightly taken aback by the brief flash of indifference across her sister's face.

"He's very lucky to have you," Elsa added.

Anna frowned a bit, leaning closer to her sister. "Elsa?"

It took Elsa a few moments before she looked up at Anna again. "Oh, yes, speaking of him. I have a surprise for you, Anna."

Two surprises in one day. _Wow._ Anna grinned. "Yeah? And what would that be?"

Elsa's eyes lit up as she straightened up in her seat. She put the remainder of the cake back into the opened box. "I talked to Wirnhier about this. I can knight Kristoff, but he has to be sent to the borders for a few months. Only a few months. And when he comes back, I shall grant him Whitestone Fort. It's only a hundred miles east of the capital. He will earn a title and lands. Then, he can marry you, and there will be no objection at all."

_Ehh…?_ Anna listened to her sister, noting the excitement in the queen's voice. Elsa rarely ever got excited over anything, but this occasion just happened to be something Anna found incredibly stale. "What are you on about? Nobody is objecting Kristoff and me, Elsa. It's all in your head," she said, trying to keep her voice calm.

Elsa leaned back in her chair, hands clasped together. "Please, Anna, you know how it works. No one is objecting you now, because no one thinks it will happen. The marriage, I mean."

"What?" What Anna had just heard was ludicrous to say the least. At least, she didn't expect it coming from her sister. She bounced off the desk, staring down at the clueless queen. "You. It's _you_, isn't it? You don't think that it's going to happen. You don't like us together. That's been your problem all along. That's why you've been distant. And now this?" She sighed, throwing up her hands in disbelief. "Why can't you just say it straight to me without having to come up with the stupid plan? Why can't you just say whatever you want—what you truly feel? I want the truth, some truth from you. I can't keep knocking on your door, Elsa. I can't chase you forever." To her own surprise, she found herself more frustrated at Elsa's seemingly ignorance than her ridiculous plan.

Elsa frowned. "But that's how I truly feel. I know that you love him, and there will be problems when the time comes. I really think that he needs a title to become a more fitting suitor for you."

Her sister still had not gotten it. Perhaps, Anna had expected too much from a young woman who had just stepped out of the thirteen, cold years behind those walls. "Look, people accept us for who we are. No expectations. We are happy without titles. We are just two people in love."

Elsa rested her right elbow along the armrest, her index finger scratching her right cheek as if she was trying to assess what Anna had just said. "For a royal, marriage has nothing to do with love. We are different, Anna. We cannot just follow our hearts like the commoners. We have responsibilities. There's a country to look after, a nation to lead. I believe it's time that you start to—"

"What did they tell you? What did they teach you behind those walls? Look at yourself now. I don't even know you." Anna turned away heatedly, but Elsa had shot up to her feet.

The queen caught Anna's arm and spun her around. She glowered at the smaller woman. "Do not mention our parents that way again. And you are probably right. You really don't know me. I'm not that eight-year-old girl, existed only to build you a snowman and flurries in the grand hall anymore. I now have more important matters to attend to, and I expect that you would soon learn your place."

Anna tried to lose Elsa's grip, but failed as her sister tightened the hold on her. It started to hurt, but she bit it back down. Green eyes defiant, she shook her head. "You just don't understand, do you? Kristoff will never accept the title. He never accepted anything that he didn't rightfully earn it. He will never want to live in a castle. He lives with his family. He has a family! He loves them, no matter how little or useless you see them. But they are still people, Elsa. How can you run a country by not seeing your subjects as humans?"

Elsa was trembling in anger now, her gaze cold. "This has nothing to do with me as a queen. I am addressing you and your duties as a princess. Be one. You have a country to represent. You just cannot marry an ice harvester from wherever. You really need to come to your senses."

"But I never said a thing about marrying him!" Anna successfully pulled her arm away from Elsa. She threw her hands up in exasperation. "And if I am to marry him, I still insist that I will do it my way, Elsa. You can't control my life!"

Elsa turned away. "It will happen sooner or later. You are nineteen now. Princess Paulina married at fifteen."

"So what? You're twenty-two, and you don't ever have a lover. You never even expressed interest in anyone."

Elsa stopped, and Anna inwardly squirmed. Had she gone too far somehow? To Anna's surprise, the queen slowly turned to face her. Her gaze was calmer—gentler, like the kind Elsa she always knew.

"I have no time for love, Anna. Love…" Elsa softly sighed. "Perhaps, I would like to know what you are talking about." Her gaze saddened as she briefly glanced out the windows, her smile jaded. "I will be visiting Tyro next month, and I know that I will have to choose someone there. It is not my choice, but Arendelle's. Love has no place in my world."

_Tyro._ Anna staggered at the information. She didn't like the prospect of Elsa leaving. Even though Elsa would not be travelling by sea to Tyro, but after all, Elsa was the only family she had left. _And there she'll pick her future husband._ Anna looked up at the melancholic gaze, while tried to find courage in her own heart. She turned towards the doorway and held her head up high. "I will prove to you that love is everything. It saved me, Elsa. It can save you, too."

When her sister left, Elsa walked back to her chair and sat down, her hands clutching the armrests. Love had remained a subject as foreign as the outside world to her. Even after the Eternal Winter fiasco, Elsa continued to cling to the memory of Anna's sacrifice in order to control her own powers. She knew that it was Anna's love, but still struggled to truly understand it. It was the impromptu embraces, the smallest of gestures, the warmest of smiles, and she was still lost in the whirlwind of emotions, unsure what or how to explain it. How was it different from Kristoff's feelings for her sister, or how Anna felt for her? Any difference at all? What must they sacrifice—what must they fight to fully understand?

* * *

That night, Anna was wide awake on the bed in her own chamber. The fluffy pillows failed to lure her to sleep. She irritably clutched one of the pillows to her left, another pillow stuffed between her tangled, slender legs. The room was warm on a summer night like this, and even warmer than usual without the cool air generated from Elsa's body.

Anna twisted and turned. The moon was high, shining its brilliance through the narrow gap between the crimson curtains. The sky was awake, and so was she.

_Urgh!_ Anna eventually kicked the blanket away, her lithe body springing up to sit on the bed. Her rich, auburn hair pooled around her slim, bare shoulders, gleaming under the moonlight. It was supposed to be Elsa's turn. There was supposed to be a knock on her door, followed by a desperate plea. They were supposedly equal in their want to share their bed, entangling each other in their sleepy, clumsy embraces. Perhaps, her sister was denser than she had thought.

It took about an hour later that Anna did the expected.

"Elsa… Elsa…" Anna had been knocking on the door for the past thirty seconds, and her patience was suspiciously running low tonight. She took a deep breath in and pushed the door open. "Elsa—" But the queen's chamber was even warmer than Anna's own. The lack of the ice queen's presence had left the room heated and troubled—as troubled as a certain princess in the dark hallway.

But Anna didn't stop there. In her white, thin nightgown, she rushed to the Royal Study, only to find that the room was left dark and empty. Her next destination was Gerda's room, and she pounded on the door ceaselessly. The old woman came rushing to the door and received the princess.

"Your Royal Highness," Gerda greeted. Her eyes were wide with terror at what could have possibly roused the princess from her slumber.

"Where's Elsa? She's gone. I didn't see her in her chamber. Where did she go? It's almost midnight now, and she hasn't returned to her chamber—"

"H—Her Majesty is at the bay, Your Royal Highness. Lately, she has taken her leisure time along the shore. She enjoys it there better than the confinement of the bailey," Gerda explained.

Anna stopped. How could such an information slip her when they spent every night together? Had she been too busy with her own life that she had neglected Elsa? Perhaps Elsa hadn't always been in the Royal Study before coming to bed. Of course, one would need to relax at times. Working even after dinner every day would have been awful.

_But how come she never told me? _Anna quietly walked away, but briefly looked over her shoulder to acknowledge Gerda. "T—thank you, Gerda. You can now go back to sleep."

Hugging herself, Anna strode down the grand hall. Milla then brought a hooded, olive-colored cloak for the princess and draped it over her shoulders. Anna nodded in a grateful gesture, and then stalked around the empty ice-skating rink on the castle's bailey. She bit her bottom lip as she hurried towards the gates. Her feet acquiring their own pace and rhythm, and she couldn't seem to slow down now. The gates opened for her, and the princess soon stepped out into the moonlight.

* * *

Anna raced along the serpentine, stony path between the high wall of the castle and the row of boulders along the shore. Under the moonlight, she could hear distant crashes of waves, and the smell of the sea began to envelope her. The sticky wind breezed through her thick, unruly hair, and she loved it. When she reached the bay, what she saw was something she hadn't expected.

A solid, ice plate had formed and extended along the shore for about half quarter of a mile, although its width was much narrower. Anna was utterly surprised to see that her sister was completing laps on the platform with precision and intensity in each glide and turn. Never had she seen Elsa so fast on the ice, shredding off grace and elegance, opting for wild and fierce turns instead.

The queen came prepared with a pair of black breeches and a loose-fitting, white, ruffle shirt. She was wearing her magical pair of black ice skates. For someone who seldom frequented outdoor activities, Elsa had proven to be a natural on ice, fast and defined on the restricted platform. And whenever the queen took a sharp turn, the waves crashed violently against the edge of the enchanted ice. But Elsa was calm, unperturbed by the vapor of seawater. She finished one lap after another, careless of the world around her. It was probably the first time Anna had seen her sister with a reddened face, perspiration trickling down her face.

Then, Anna glanced to her right. Against the queen's fiery speed, a small band of musicians had gathered at the far corner, delivering smooth music into the night. The violinists and the cellist seemed to be having the fun time themselves. A butler was skating around with a tray of drinks on his hand, while a few maids were busied in another corner.

_Oh, wow. _Chuckling to herself, Anna decided to take a step forward onto the nearest boulder. "I see that the queen certainly knows how to entertain herself _alone_." She announced, making her presence known.

Elsa halted, sprinkle of ice shooting out from her sharp skid. She turned to see the princess standing on a boulder. "Anna."

Anna wouldn't know why her sister sounded dazed to see her, but the black gloves Elsa was wearing caught her attention. It had been a long while since Elsa wore any gloves. Then, Nortonia crept into her mind, but she quickly brushed the thoughts aside. _But she's fine._ _Elsa's fine now._

"I saw that you retreated to your chamber, so I thought that you were already asleep," Elsa said, slightly out of breath.

Anna climbed over the rocks and down to the ice platform. After a few slips along the ice, she halted in her tracks, clutching her nightgown. She looked up at her sister with an accusing look. "Aren't you going to invite me in?"

Elsa took a slow spin. "I thought that you've already gotten your own pair."

Then Anna stopped. _She saw it._ Elsa must have seen the new pair of ice skates Kristoff gave her today. So, the shadowy figure by the window earlier this afternoon was really Elsa. But why would the new ice skates matter? Most people had gotten their own pairs from the markets, not waiting for the queen to conjure them a pair like in their first time.

Anna looked up again to see the determination in the narrowed, blue eyes as Elsa began another lap. With a distant gaze and an absence of a smile, her sister looked troubled, that much Anna knew, but it was the fact that she didn't know what it was that terrified her. She rushed out into the ice to reach for her sister, but slipped and slid along the slippery plane.

"Ouch!" Anna yelped.

"Anna!" Elsa rushed to the younger woman and pulled her up by both arms. She promptly conjured a pair of ice skates for her sister.

"I—I'm okay." Anna shakily stood up, and then smiled at the magical, green ice skates. "Thanks!"

At Anna's earnest response, a faint smile curved up the corner of Elsa's lips. She gently let go off her sister and skated around. "It's already very late, Anna. Go back to sleep."

Grinning, Anna skated towards the edge of the ice. She studied the small waves that were crashing against the edge of the ice, and then looked up to the sky. Millions of stars were smiling down at her in this clear night. "It's such a beautiful night! And, you've got good music here, too! Wine under the moonlight? Are you going to keep it all to yourself?"

Elsa slightly raised her hand, and the edge of the ice extended a few feet further, ensuring that Anna wouldn't just slip and fall off into the sea.

Blinking in confusion at first, Anna glanced down and noted the expansion of ice. She couldn't help but smile at her sister's protectiveness. With both hands, she pulled the collar of the velvety cloak around her neck, and skated towards Elsa. "Thank you. Elsa, I—"

Only they were interrupted by the butler skating in between them. "Refreshment, Your Majesty." The butler bowed. "Your Royal Highness."

The sisters each took a glass. While the queen just washed down the drink in one gulp and put the empty glass onto the tray, Anna slowly sipped hers. Her gaze scrutinizing the older woman, the princess couldn't tell how many glasses Elsa had had tonight. Perhaps the pink shades on Elsa's cheeks didn't entirely come from the physical exertion. Green eyes studied the queen, feeling her own lips warmed, coated with the taste of wine. Only when the butler skated away again that Anna asked over her glass, "Are you all right?"

"Absolutely. It's a beautiful night." Elsa mildly nodded. It looked unconvincing, but both knew it, yet decided not to mention it.

For a moment, Anna just watched as Elsa skated around, coupled with a few perfect spins, completely comfortable with her ice as if they were the same substance, connected and alive. It was a rare moment to see how bare Elsa was, and it scared Anna now that she probably could never come between Elsa and her powers.

A heavy silence hang over them, and the queen looked up at her sister again, whilst continued to skate. "I'm sorry about today, Anna. I've already sent words to Wirnhier to cancel everything. There will be no more interferences in the future, I promise. Your life is yours."

Anna's heart skipped. "No… No. I—I get where you were coming from. You meant well for us." Anna was still upset, but for whatever reason she could never stay angry with Elsa for too long. She just wanted to see Elsa smile as it lit up her world like nothing else could. Anna watched as her sister continued one lap after another. Elsa's movements were fluid, almost intertwined with the sprinkle of cold fumes around her. In this rare moment, the queen appeared to have lost herself to the ice.

"You never told me that you like to skate here," Anna remarked, her gaze never leaving Elsa.

Elsa delivered a few violent turns, making them seem like an easy feat. And, Anna thought that the ice platform might have broken at the impacts.

"Elsa?" Anna whispered.

The queen continued to look elsewhere, skating slower now as if to appease Anna's watchful gaze. "I just… I guess everybody needs some alone times." The queen's whisper could have slipped with the wind, but Anna heard it. She wouldn't miss it.

"You'd been alone for a long time. Aren't you tired of it?" _We had been._ Anna watched every glides Elsa make, feeling all the pain the blades had cut into the surface of the ice as if it were her own heart. She knew that she was tired of being alone. She had been with Kristoff for a year now, yet at times she still felt excruciatingly lonely. An optimist she was, she had yet to find a way to fix it, or what was the real drawback behind this unbearable loneliness. The most peaceful moment for her was when she was close to Elsa—when they shared their bed and warm embraces. It came quietly at night, but it was gone by morning. It was fleeting like fragments of a dream—like a mirage, and she had grown frustrated while trying to hold on to the night, wishing for dawn never to break again.

Elsa brushed the strands of sticky hair from her face, keeping her gaze down. Breathless, she appeared restless, tired even. "I thought that it was the walls that separated me from the rest of the world." She briefly glanced at the butler and the maids as if to make sure that her voice was low enough to slip under the music playing. "But I still feel lonely even now. I don't think anyone could understand this. I don't understand it either. I'm able to come out of that room, but the world has proven to be far lonelier than I thought. I just… don't understand…"

Anna just watched her sister move along the ice, while listening to the desperation in Elsa's voice. If anyone could understand how it was to feel lonely, it would be a fierce competition between Elsa and her. While they were taught and told of many beautiful things, they were confined, cast away from the harsh reality. The outside world was nothing like the tales they had read from books. When the gates finally opened, they both found themselves far lonelier than they had ever been.

Without another word, Anna skated towards Elsa and grabbed her hand. Elsa was circled to a halt, astonishment in her eyes as she was turned to face Anna. They spared a moment to study each other, staring at each other, desperately seeking the assurance they secretly needed.

Then, green eyes widened, and a grin broke across Anna's face. "Come on!" Linking her hands with Elsa's, Anna began to skate backwards, away from the shore. They were already alone, here or anywhere, and Anna just didn't care anymore. She just wanted to see how far they could go.

"A—Anna! Waaa—wait! Anna! Wait!" Elsa was literally dragged through the ice. By her powers, a narrow path extended from the platform they were racing upon, growing further and further into the sea to secure Anna's fast run. The princess had proven to be a naturally gifted athlete. In just one year, she was able to match Elsa's speed in skating, although not so much in grace department.

When Anna slowed down and was out of breath, it was Elsa who turned their positions around. Their hands still connected, Elsa dragged her sister along. She skated faster and further into the sea. She just had to laugh when Anna looked absolutely bewildered but thrilled at the same time at such dangerous speed.

"Whooooooooa!" Anna squeaked as stronger waves began to crash against the growing, icy platform. Her clothes were soaked, but it excited her even more. She could taste the salt on her tongue. She could feel the stickiness in her hair. She laughed as she felt seawater showering upon her skin, her hands tightly holding onto her sister's. She titled her head up, leaning back as far as she could. Millions of stars ran through her vision. The cool air rushed through the thick mane of her red hair. She was drowned in the sea of stars, and for the first time in her life, she was left breathless and free.

* * *

Her feet kept moving, Elsa ignored the seawater splashing against her back. If anything, she smiled even wider. She was surprised at her own stamina and willpower. If she had felt tired earlier during the laps, her body had now completely shredded off the exhaustion. Their hands still linked, Elsa watched her sister for the longest time. The smile. The laughter. Elsa memorized it and imprinted it into her heart. It had been many years since she took Anna to the grand hall, and they had a fun time building up a snowman. It had been the last time Elsa freely spent her powers to make her sister happy. Even with the ice-skating rink at the castle now, it had been quietly restricted as Elsa seldom skated with her sister, fearing of the things she did not know if she was capable of. Her powers were reigned in only because of Anna's love. She was able to control herself only because of Anna's trust. As the ice raced underneath her feet, cruising into the unknown with her, Elsa wasn't sure what to feel now as she skated further into the sea, completely free to make or break all that she had ever had.

Eyes narrowed, Elsa looked over her own shoulder. She noted the view of countless stars above the dark sea. The wind became harsher and harsher against her unnatural speed. It seemed almost surreal. With Anna near her, it felt as if she could skate to the sky.

* * *

"Oh… oh, my God…! Stop… Stop, Elsa…!" Anna yelped. When Elsa finally halted, the princess found herself panting hard. She looked over her shoulder to see that they had come more than a few miles from the shore. She turned to her sister, softly punching at Elsa's arm. "We've come too far! What if your powers go wonky again? I don't think I have the strength to swim you back to the shore now," Anna grumbled, troubled by the fact that Elsa didn't know how to swim. She should have thought of this earlier. She should have been more careful.

Elsa's smile instantly disappeared, the woman looking utterly undone. "I'm sorry. I'll take you back now."

Elsa's reaction wasn't what Anna expected at all. It took the princess a moment to find her words again. "Nn—no, that's not what I meant." Yes, she was scared. "I just, uh, I'm just worried about you, that's all." She was telling the truth, but often times she found it hard to deliver it when it mattered most. She then tried to calm down, gazing up into Elsa's eyes again. "I meant it, Elsa. I meant every word of it. Even if the ice would crack now, there's nowhere else I'd rather be."

At the reassurance, Elsa reluctantly looked up again, and dryly chuckled. She broke from Anna's hands and skated around the icy path. Her expression became somewhat easier and more relaxed now that she was far and away from her servants—from the outside world. "Rest assured, Anna. I know that you've always loved my magic. I won't lose it. I'll take you home tonight."

Anna rolled her eyes as she skated towards her sister, grabbing her arm. Giggling, they both stumbled through a few clumsy turns and made a wobbly halt along the edge of the ice. "Silly. I don't care about the ice, or your supernatural tricks. You're magic to me."

Anna wouldn't know what she had said to earn a stunned look from her sister, or if she had somehow offended the queen. Elsa had halted, her smile vanishing. Anna wouldn't know why the waves had suddenly calmed, and the stars above shone brighter than a burning sun. She wouldn't know why Elsa slowly, but steadily pulled her in, their faces now only a few inches apart. The deep, blue gaze was not making it any easier on her, and she counted milliseconds for Elsa to speak something—anything to break her from this trance. Like a torturous tease, Elsa's lips slightly quivered, but words never came.

A subtle hint of grief graced across the queen's face as she was still staring down at Anna. The intensity of her gaze remained painfully palpable, never receding like the waves crashing against the ice. It gripped Anna. It chained her. She wanted to move away, but her heart screamed in protest.

_What's this… feeling?_

She just didn't know how to explain all these feelings flooding inside of her. Her heart ached at the blatant awareness now, and it hurt even more than the cruel loneliness she had experienced in the empty halls. Yet, she welcomed it. All of it. And if being frozen to death was the first of life lesson, she would like to be punished again just to know better. It seemed simple. It had to be, and she wanted it to be. It was only because she didn't know what to make of the hypnotic stare from Elsa. She didn't know why her sister was looking at her in such a way. Someone needed to tell Elsa that she should not stare at someone like that. Someone ought to teach the queen some social graces. Someone needed to destroy the sultry, pained look in those blue eyes. Secured in Elsa's embrace, Anna cherished the touches of her sister's warm breath on the tip of her nose and lips.

Someone needed to wake Anna from this starry dream.

* * *

A ball of lightning dangerously licked his right fist and crawled up his forearm. The tall, blond-haired figure in a soiled, gray cloak was standing at the edge of the cliff, looking down at the sea below. His sole attention was on the two women on the narrow, icy path.

"We should get her now. This is our best chance." A voice spoke above him.

The lightning died down, vanishing from his fist. "She seems to have gotten her powers in control again. She'll put up a fight if we act now. At least, her powers seem stable. I don't want to risk any casualty," he said.

"Stable?" His friend's tone became agitated at the absence of his powers. "Did I hear it right? She's been anything but stable since forever. We've heard stories about her childhood years, and how she froze the whole capital out of sheer fright just last year. By Gods, Taranis, look what happened in Nortonia—"

"The queen will be dealt with when the time is opportune," Taranis said with finality.

After a moment of silence, his friend just let out a sarcastic scoff. "Am I mistaken, or is this about the possible casualty, _the_ princess? Well, look at the bright side, she seems to be cozied with ice, maybe she'll fancy a strike of lightning—"

Taranis turned to glower at his friend. "Will you get down now, or do you wish people to catch you flying?"

Kaori groaned out of annoyance, and her feet landed softly on the ground next to Taranis. Her white-feathered wings retracted, she walked into him, lightly punched his shoulder with her own before walking away. "I hope you know what you're doing."

When his friend was out of sight, Taranis turned again to sea again, watching the two figures skating back towards the shore.

_Elizabeth of Arendelle. It won't be long now._


End file.
